A few days ago Art Geddes wrote that one reason that he was having a myectomy now as opposed to years ago was that he had new and increasing symptoms. Among those, he included pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. I am curious. Is there a connection between HCM and pneumonia? Certainly my own experience indicates that there is a connection between CHF and pneumonia, but I am not sure of cause and effect. Does the chf cause the pneumonia or the pneumonia cause the chf or do both stem from a third cause? Any ideas? After at least 4 cases of very hard to treat pneumonia in 2 1/2 years, in spite of having a pneumonia shot, I am eager to find out. Even more specifically I would like to know if there is any connection with gradient.
In addition, and perhaps even more basically, I am curious about the causes of right sided heart failure in people with HCM. If the pacing had coordinated my beats so that the heart is beating nearly normally, as the last echo I had indicated, why am I still struggling with CHF? I gained 6 pounds in the last two days and had both leg and ankle swelling and lung congestion, so this is a relevant question. Somehow the objective data of weight gain and loss does not seem to fit the objective data from the echo. Any ideas anyone?
Rhoda
In addition, and perhaps even more basically, I am curious about the causes of right sided heart failure in people with HCM. If the pacing had coordinated my beats so that the heart is beating nearly normally, as the last echo I had indicated, why am I still struggling with CHF? I gained 6 pounds in the last two days and had both leg and ankle swelling and lung congestion, so this is a relevant question. Somehow the objective data of weight gain and loss does not seem to fit the objective data from the echo. Any ideas anyone?
Rhoda
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